1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a fastening device for fastening a rope, more particularly to a fastening device of the type in which a pair of ropes can be attached for securing an object or article.
2. Description of the Related Art
Generally, when transporting automobiles from a source to a destination by cargo vessels, a fastening device is used to fasten two ropes which are connected respectively to an automobile and the deck of the ship, the two ropes being threaded through and fastened in the fastening device. The fastening device with the ropes is usually provided between the automobile and the ship body, and the two ropes are attached to both the automobile and the ship body so as to position the automobile in place. As shown in FIGS. 1 and 2, the conventional fastening device 10 includes a base 17 and two spaced apart webs 11,12 extending longitudinally from the base 17; a first cross plate 15 and a second cross plate 16 which are spaced from one another and disposed transversely between the two webs 11,12, the first cross plate 15 defining a first space 13 with the second cross plate 16 and the second cross plate 16 defining a space 14 with the base 17; and a ring member 18 that is pivotably mounted in the ends of the two webs 11,12.
Such fastening device is used to hold two ropes 20,21, as shown in FIG. 2. From beneath the fastening device, a second section 202 of the first rope 20 is passed through the space 121 defined by the two ends of the webs 11,12 and, crossing over the upper sides of the first and second cross plates 15,16, is inserted downward into the second space 14 and then, passing under the second cross plate 16, is subsequently turned upwardly out of the first space 13 and, passing over the first cross plate 15, is finally inserted downward into the space 121 defined by the two ends of the two webs 11,12 and then pulled in the direction toward the base 17 so that the first section 201 of the rope 20 lies in juxtaposition with a second section 202 of the first rope 20, as shown in FIG. 2. The second rope 21 is inserted into the ring 18 and the two ends thereof are tied to form a closed loop.
In use, the loop of the second rope 21 is hooked to a fixing hook provided on the ship body (not shown in the drawings). An end of the second section 202 of the first rope 20 is used to tie the body of the automobile (not shown in the drawings). In this way, the automobile is fixed in position. The fastening device 10 allows for fastening of the first rope 21 and the second rope 20 and provides the use and function of fixing an automobile in place, but still has the following shortcomings:
First of all, because the first rope 20 only goes around the second cross plate 16 and then around the first cross plate 15, in addition to the smoothness of the surface of the two cross plates 15,16, there is not much frictional resistance provided relative to the first rope 20. Thus, when force is applied to pull the second section 202 of the first rope 20 in a direction opposite to the second rope 21, undesirable sliding movement of the first rope 20 could very well occur, leading to the drawback of poor quality of attachment of the first rope 20 to the fastening device.
Secondly, because after the first rope 20 is fastened to the fastening device, the first section 201 thereof is often in tight contact with the base 17, this causes the drawback that the operation of pulling up the base 17 to loosen the first rope 20 is not easy.